the name of the game
by ravenclawroyalty
Summary: ch five is up after and atrociously long wait. James and his friends play different games with Lily and her friends. Some semblance of a plot is beginning to emerge. Lily/James, Sirius/OC, Remus/OC.
1. word association

_A/N: this is just a little thing that came to me in the middle of the night…You can review if you want. I don't really care with this. I like it. Anyway, enjoy._

**Disclaimer: once upon a time there was a really brilliant famous person who wrote really fantabulous books and owned these characters. Then was another not really brilliant or famous person who wrote fanfiction using these characters from the really fantabulous books. Guess which person I am. The end.**

Word Association

**James: **"Evans, wanna play a game?"

**Lily: **"No Potter, for the fortieth time; I do NOT want to play a game!"

**James:** "How about Hangman?"

**Lily:** "Here, I have a game. It's called 'Why-Don't-You-Finish-Your-Lines-So-This-Detention-Will-Be-Over-So-I-Won't-Have-To-Watch-You-Anymore-So-I-Can-Go-To-Bed!"

**James:** "Sounds kinky, but I have a better idea. How about word association?"

**Lily:** (_rolls eyes) _"Fine. But you have to do your lines after and not bother me again until tomorrow. And we're only playing for five minutes."

**James:** "Done. I'll start." (_Thinks for a moment) _"Snow."

**Lily:** "Cold."

**James:** "Rain."

**Lily:** "Wet."

**James:** "Dungeons."

**Lily:** "Potions."

**James:** "Professor Slughorn."

**Lily:** (_wrinkles nose) _"Mustache."

**James:** "Ugly."

**Lily:** "Petunia's wedding dress."

**James:** (_grinning) _"Bride."

**Lily:** "Groom."

**James:** "Engagement."

**Lily:** "Ring."

**James:** "Diamond."

**Lily:** "Beautiful."

**James:** (_smiling) _"Lily Evans."

**Lily:** (_stares at James surprised. Blushes.)_

**James:** (_embarrassed. Mumbles something incoherently and begins writing lines.)_

**Lily:** (_after a long pause) _"Do you really think that, James?"

**James:** (_looks up) _"Why else would I be chasing you for four years?"

**Lily:** "I dunno. I guess I thought it was some stupid practical joke that got out of hand and refused to die."

**James:** (_shakes head slowly) _"No, it's for real."

**Lily:** "Oh…"

(_The clock chimes signally the end of the detention. James gets up and hands her his unfinished paper.)_

**Lily:** "I guess you'll have to come back tomorrow and finish."

**James:** "Yeah." (_Pauses then asks hesitantly) _"Do you think we could play another game?"

**Lily:** (_looks at him. Smiles slightly.) _"I'd like that."

**James:** (_grins and heads out door.)_

**Lily:** "Oh, James."

**James:** (_turns.)_

**Lily:** "Thanks. You know…for saying I'm beautiful."

**James:** (_shrugs) _"Well, the truth comes easy to me." (_Exits.)_

**Lily:** _bites lip and smiles. Begins to gather up papers. _"He thinks I'm beautiful!"

**FIN**

_A/N: I hope you guys liked it. Review or don't. I'm really hungry. It's like 10:30 and I haven't eaten dinner. Hmmm, I want pretzels. Tah._


	2. chutes and ladders

_A/N: this was originally called Word Association and was supposed to be a one shot. However, some very very wonderful reviewers requested more. I thought about it. I got an idea. This is the result. I hope you enjoy._

_Another A/N: this chappie is not in play form because I don't want it to be._

_Disclaimer: in a parallel universe I might own the Harry Potter world. But in this universe I am perfectly content with HP land belonging to the wonderful JKR._

Chapter 2: Chutes and ladders.

Lily entered the empty classroom feeling preoccupied and thoroughly confused. Yesterday's adventure with the word association had turned her emotions up side down and it scared her. But glowing faintly beneath her jumbled thoughts was a warm thrill that pushed upward every time she saw him.

She walked into something hard. Looking up from her reverie she was dumbfounded. This wasn't a classroom. It was a life-sized version of Chutes and Ladders. She had walked into a gigantic ladder that led up another level twenty feet above her. She looked up open mouthed. The ceiling had been pushed up so four terrifyingly high levels could fit. All connected by ladders and the biggest slides she'd ever seen.

"You like it Evans?" James Potter wandered in looking very pleased with himself.

"Potter!" She gasped, "What did you do?"

"It's our next game. You said we could play another game next time."

"Yes, but…I thought…Nothing like this!"

"Oh," James said sounding crest fallen, "Well, I can just vanish this. We can play tic tac toe or something."

Suddenly, Lily felt sorry for him. She wondered how long it had taken him to charm the room like this.

"Well," she drawled, "I guess we can play one game."

James cheered and handed her a die. "Ladies first."

She giggled in a very unLilyish fashion and rolled.

They climbed and slid and climbed and slid. Lily couldn't remember having this much fun with Potter. Even though the game itself was a stupid and childish, playing it on such a large scale was incredible. Until it was over.

"Awe, you beat me." Lily said giving a mock pout.

James laughed, "Well, you can't win at everything."

"I guess not," Lily looked over the edge pensively, "Umm, how do we get down?"

"That slide." James said pointing to a humungous slide that traveled all the way down to the floor.

She stared at it apprehensively, "It goes down like six stories. We'll die."

"No we won't. Its' not that far." James said sitting down at the top of the slide.

"James, I don't like this."

"Are you afraid of heights?"

Lily rolled her eyes. Honestly, that boy could be extraordinarily dense at times. "If I was afraid of heights I wouldn't have played this game in the first place. What I'm afraid of is shooting out of a slide a million miles an hour and smacking into a wall."

James laughed, "Don't worry about it. Look, I'll go first, then you can go and I'll catch you at the bottom if I survive."

Lily bit her lip doubtfully, "Yeah right. You'd probably think it was hilarious to have me smack into a wall." She instantly wanted to take it back. Why did she always get so snippy and nasty around him?

James' smile faltered a little but not much, "Why can't you believe that I would do something nice for you?"

"You have a history of doing the opposite." Mumbled Lily.

"But never to you. I've always been here to catch you, Lily."

She met his eyes for a moment, "Prove it."

He nodded once and pushed himself down the slide. Lily closed her eyes and cringed until she heard his ragged cheer drift up from the ground.

"Okay, Lily. It's safe. You can come down."

She gulped and lowered herself onto the slide.

"It's safe. He's here to catch me. He's always been here to catch me." She chanted to herself. She took a deep breath and shoved off.

She was flying. She was soaring through the air and she didn't dare open her eyes. The wind whipped her face as she descended. Any second now the slide would end and she would be smeared on the wall. Any second now…

WHAM!

Lily slammed into something hard. It fell over with a loud 'oof'. She lay there for a second with her eyes closed, mentally checking that she was alive. Apparently, so was the thing she was laying on.

"Damn, Evans. You knocked the wind out of me."

Lily opened her eyes slowly. She had slammed into none other than James Potter. She lifted her head off his chest and sat up.

"You caught me!"

He smiled and sat up as well, "Told you. Now help me up and we can go find my lungs. I think they went shooting out of me on impact."

Lily giggled and helped him up, "Okay, I think they're plastered on the wall over there."

They laughed and James said, "Do I really have to do my lines now?"

"No."

"I guess I'll have to come back tomorrow."

"I guess you will."

**FIN**

_A/N: well, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are wonderful! And if you think of any games you would like Lily and James to play let me know (keep them G rated though please!). _


	3. candyland

_A/N: YES!! FINALLY !! I've been trying to post this chapter for weeks and fanfiction was being evil and not letting me. garrr. Anyway, you guys requested candyland. Here you go. Hands fans silver platter with board game on it. I hope you enjoy this. Sorry it took so long to update. I've been suffering from writers block and then I started From the Heart (which you should go read) and became very distracted. I've introduced Lily's friends and just so I don't have to explain it in the chapter:_

**Martina: Slytherine, Italian **

**Sora: Ravenclaw, Japanese (has known Sirius since childhood)**

**Desdemona: Hufflepuff, Black (Nick named Dez)**

_I know it's strange that Lily has friends from each house (including Slytherine) Ducks from Plausibility Police throwing trout Anyhoo, now that I've got THAT out of my system, I guess I'll write this chapter._

**Chapter 3: CANDYLAND**

"Lily, did you really have to drag us around to DETENTION just because Jamsiepoo requested it?" Sora complained as she struggled with her over-flowing backpack, "I have more homework than I care to think about and I really don't want to waste time doing whatever it is that Potter has planned."

"Oh, stop whining Sora. You're giving me a knowledge infection." Countered Dez before Lily could answer.

Lily turned around, still walking quickly toward the detention classroom, "A knowledge infection?"

"Yeah," Dez said as though she was stating the obvious "Her Ravenclaw brain and dedication to work is making me physically ill."

"Oh."

Martina, who hadn't said a word until that moment, suddenly asked, "So why exactly are we going with you to a detention that you're supposed to be over-seeing? I mean, I thought Potter's detention was done two days ago?"

"It was," Lily protested "Well, it was supposed to be anyway. We were delayed."

"OOO!" Dez cried, her voice going up about three octaves, "Delayed!"

Lily rolled her eyes, "Not that kind of delayed, you sick twisted freak!"

Dez just smiled and waggled her eyebrows.

"Oh, please," snapped Sora, "Dez, you act more like Sirius every day. It's disturbing me. And poor Martina here!"

"I didn't say anything!" Marina protested but nobody was listening. They had just arrived at the detention room and promptly stopped to gape at it. Well, the door anyway. It had been changed into a gingerbread door with a gumdrop handle and a peppermint stick fence around it.

"Is this edible?" Dez asked, always the first to recover from a shock.

"You bet your sugar consuming life!" came a cheery voice from inside. The door was swung open enthusiastically by none other than Sirius Black.

"What are you wearing, Sirius?" demanded Sora as they entered the room.

"I'm Plumpy, who else?" Sirius said, clearly offended.

Remus Lupin appeared (dressed like a sane person) and apologized, "We tried to stop him but he really really wanted to dress up for the game."

"Excuse me? What game?" Marina demanded.

"Candyland!!" cried Sirius bouncing up and down so that his green suit and mustache flopped around, "Or hadn't you noticed." He gestured wildly at the classroom around them, which was, amazingly, no longer a classroom.

Lily gasped. She had thought the chutes and ladders game board was magnificent, but this far surpassed gigantic slides. She had never seen so much candy in her entire life. Mountains of ice cream, an entire sea of chocolate syrup, forest upon forest of peppermint trees and the most adorable village made entirely of gingerbread houses stretched across the room until they dropped out of sight.

"This is incredible!" Breathed Martina. Dez simply broke off a peppermint twig and began eating it.

"Where's James?" Lily asked when she recovered her voice.

"Right here chica." James called. He and Peter appeared from behind a gingerbread house and walked towards them.

"Why did you change the detention room into a Candy Land board game?" Dez asked.

"We're going to play!" Sirius cried jumping so violently that he fell over and started rolling away.

"I'll get him." Peter squeaked and scampered after him.

"Right, moving on," Remus said calmly, "So, we should pick different characters to be…"

"No way. I'm not dressing up in a stupid suit." Sora said resolutely.

"Oh, come on Sora, you can be Princess Lolly if you like!" Martina cried "I want to be Lord Licorice even though he's a guy so I'll change it to Lady Licorice!" she paused for breath and suddenly her clothes changed into a long elegant black gown.

"WEEEE!" she twirled around and crashed into Remus. "Sorry." She blushed.

Soon they were all choosing characters. Remus settled for Mister Mint. Sirius remained Plumpy after arguing extensively with Dez. Dez decided to be Gloppy after pouting for about five seconds. Peter was assigned Jolly because he has no imagination. Sora eventually gave in and allowed herself to be Princess Lolly. James of course declared himself King Kandy.

"So Lily who are you going to be?" James asked adjusting his crown.

"Who's left?" she asked laughing.

"The old lady person!" Martina screamed.

"Queen Frostine." Sirius suggested in a rare moment of calm.

"Of course." James grinned at her.

Lily hesitated. She wanted to be that character but that would imply that she was James' wife, which she didn't want to think about. Then she became aware of the long blue gown she was wearing and a crystal crown on her head.

"Alright, then." She smiled.

They began to play but there didn't appear to be any rules. They were like little kids who declared random rules and did whatever they wanted. They went swimming in the chocolate lake, they climbed the peppermint trees, they had a cotton candy snow ball fight and laughed until they cried.

"Lily, this is incredible!" Dez whispered while the others ran ahead, "Have you ever seen Sora so easy going and Martina's actually talking—TO BOYS!!"

"I know, it's amazing." Lily giggled.

"Yeah, James has really out done himself. Is this what you were delayed with earlier?"

"Yes, but nothing like this!"

"You should over see his detentions more often…and bring me with you."

They laughed then ran to catch up with the others.

Finally they reached the end. A gigantic candy castle towered above them. The girls gasped in awe. Lily felt someone grab her hand.

"Come on, Lils. Let's go inside." James grinned. He was covered in chocolate and his hand was sticky but she didn't mind. She probably looked just as frightful.

"Oh my." She heard Martina breathe behind her as they entered the palace. She felt the same.

They were in a gigantic ball room covered with lolly pop chandeliers, frosted gingerbread walls, rock candy floors and a ceiling made of every kind of candy imaginable. A large sugar candy piano stood in the corner.

"OOO, I wonder if it works!" Dez said excitedly and sprinted over to it. She sat down and pressed the keys gingerly. The most beautiful sound filled the room. She giggled and began playing a slow melodic song that none of them recognized.

Sirius bowed to Sora as best he could in his fat suit.

"May I have the honor, mademoiselle?" he said with mock regality.

"If you insist." Sora replied with a smirk. They began dancing effortlessly around the ballroom.

"I didn't know Sirius could dance." James said dumbfounded.

"Of course he can. I had to teach him two days before the Yule Ball." Remus laughed. Martina turned her head down but looked up at him, suddenly too shy to say anything. Presently the two of them joined Sirius and Sora. Peter retreated to a pile of gumdrops that were screaming to be eaten.

James coughed awkwardly. Lily gave him a flirty smile.

"Since when has James Potter been shy about asking a girl to dance?"

He looked at her seriously and replied "Since he's been scared to death that she'd say no."

She held out her hand, "Not this time."

As they began to dance slowly she added, "Of course this doesn't guarantee anything in the future. I'll still say no."

"I guess this is the best I can hope for then." He said. The sad look in his eyes unsettled her.

"Why are you so persistent?" she asked, " I mean, most guys would have given up by now."

He spun her around easily "Do you want me to leave you alone from now on? I mean, if it made you happier I guess I could manage it."

She laughed, "You know, two days ago I would have said 'hell yes', but now I'm not so sure. I guess I give you permission to keep bugging me."

The look on his face suddenly made it all worth it.

"Lily, we have to play another game like that!!!!" Martina gushed as they made their way to the Library "I actually talked to Remus. And I danced with him!"

Lily smiled at her lovesick friend, "Now all you have to do is talk to him alone without everyone around you."

"That might be more difficult. But you and James seemed to be enjoying yourselves."

"Yeah, I guess."

"You guess?" Dez cried behind them, "Lily, you must be in extreme denial, you and James were the picture of romantic connection."

"How do you come up with those ridiculous phrases?" Sora demanded while Lily snorted into her scarf. "But honestly Lily, you should have seen you two dancing. There was chemistry."

"What ever you say, Sora." Lily said but inside she jumping with anticipation of the next game.

_A/N: urrgggggg. You have no idea how difficult it was to write this chapter. I'm very displeased with it but I'm posting it anyway. I know it's not really like the actual game but I'm sure you people can handle it. Review, criticize, lacerate with words but make is constructive please. Suggestions for their next game would be awesome. _


	4. clue

_A/N: Okay, so we left off a bajillion years ago (so sorry for the delay) with candyland, romantic connection, dancing, and chocolate. This is the next chapter. Someone suggested it a while back and I decided to do a chapter on it. I'll try to get to all the suggestions but it might take a while._

**Disclaimer: not JKR. I went to a very happy, padded place last time I claimed that. It was nice but they made me leave after a few years O.o**

**Clue**

"Games, games, games, fun fun games! Lovely fun happy games! Games games gam--!"

"FOR MELIN'S SAKE, MARTINA, SHUT UP AND STOP SINGING!"

"No need to be so testy, Sora." Sulked Martina.

"Yes, I do need to be testy when you're singing. It keeps me from actually killing you!" Sora growled.

"Okay, you two. Put away your machetes. We're almost there." Dez said, ever the peacemaker.

Lily laughed with nervous anticipation at her friends. She'd gotten a note from James in Charms telling them to come after classes that day. She wondered what he had planned this time.

"Hey," Sora said as the turned the corner, "The door looks normal this time."

"Yeah, weird." Dez said.

Lily didn't comment on the irony in Dez's reply. She was too busy running to the door and flinging it open.

"Oh!! Cool!" Martina squealed slipping past Lily eagerly.

They were in what looked like the front hallway of a 19th century mansion. Elaborate carpeting and matching wallpaper dotted with expensive paintings and mirrors filled the room. Lily suddenly felt very out of place in the glamorous room.

"Hola chicas!" Sirius cried flying down the hallway toward them. He was dressed in a dark purple suit, which was an odd contrast to his flamboyant demeanor.

"Hi, Sirius. What's going on?" Sora asked. There was a mixture of irritation and amusement in her voice.

"We're playing Clue! Isn't that exciting?" Sirius gushed crashing into a potted plant and falling over.

"Sirius are you gravitationally challenged?" Dez asked in concern.

"Gravitationally?" demanded Sora, now completely exasperated.

"What?"

"Is that even a _word_, Desdemona?"

Dez's eye twitched but she answered, "Spell check says so."

"What's spell check?" Sirius asked conversationally, jumping up.

"Umm, it doesn't matter." Lily said quickly "So, are we playing a game or are we going to stand around arguing?"

"Oh, right, the game," Sirius said suddenly turning solemn, "Yes, I'm here to bring you to the site of the heinous murder of Mr. Body. He was a good man, but alas, it is a cruel, cruel world that smote his mighty heart."

They stared at him.

"What? Isn't a guy allowed to be poetic without being considered a freak? Jeez, I should go live in an attic for the rest of my life writing dark poetry on the walls and eating bad food because nobody appreciates my work until I finally go completely nuts and cut off my own ear!" he gave a strangled sob.

"Er, Sirius," Martina said as though she were talking to a very angry kamodo dragon. The others were too scared to speak. "Van Gogh cut off his ear. He wasn't a poet."

"See!" Sirius wailed, "No one understands my misunderstood artistic misunderstandibility."

"Lily, I'm scared. Let's go find James and Remus." Martina said.

"Hell yes!" Dez cried and they took off down the hall except for Sora who slapped Sirius upside the head.

"Ow. That wasn't very nice."

"Don't tempt me to hurt you more." She growled.

"Where'd everybody go?"

"You scared them. They went to find the sane ones."

"Who are they?"

Sora screamed in frustration and followed her charging friends.

They didn't have to run very far before they crashed into the other three fourths of the marauders.

"Did Sirius disturb you?" Remus asked anxiously as Martina flung herself into his arms in fear. She nodded and whimpered.

"Damn it! I told him not to." James said sounding slightly annoyed.

"Not to do what?" Sirius said innocently.

"BEGONE DEMON!" Martina shrieked throwing her shoe violently at Sirius' face.

"Ow. What is it with women and violence?" he moaned grabbing his wounded nose.

"Stop whining. You deserved it." Sora said calmly, "So, James, are we playing this game or not?"

"Yes, right, so we're all going to pick characters like last time and—"

Lily interrupted, "We have too many people. There's six character's in Clue and we have eight."

"I don't really want to play." Martina said, "I'm too scared. I'll just explore the board. It's really spectacular."

"I'll come with you." Remus volunteered and the two disappeared.

"Well, we know what _they'll_ be doing." Dez said laughing.

They laughed and quickly decided characters. Sirius was already Professor Plum. James was Mr. Green and Peter was Colonel Mustard.

The girls debated for a few minutes and finally decided that Dez would be Miss Scarlet, Sora Miss Peacock and Lily was Miss White. Just like in Candyland, their clothes magically changed to fit their characters. Lily looked down, expecting a maid's costume but instead she was dressed in a long, elegant, white gown.

"We didn't want whoever was her to feel shafted." James explained. She smiled at him gratefully.

"So, here's your cards." Peter said softly passing out cards. "And your checky thing."

"Okay, let's play!"

They ran off but without the childish abandon they had with in Candyland. They split up, going into other rooms and magically summoning the other players. James kept summoning Lily into the lounge.

"James, I would actually like see a different part of this house besides the lounge. There's nothing more you can ask me; I've shown you all my cards. Let's move on, shall we?"

"Fine." He sighed dramatically, then grinned.

Lily tried to actually play the game but the fantastic and elaborate rooms kept on distracting her. She found Remus and Martina reading innocently in the library, though they were sitting rather cozily together on the couch. She smiled to herself. They looked so adorable together.

Dez had gotten as far as the ballroom before she got side tracked by the piano. Music filled the entire mansion as she played.

Finally, everyone was summoned to the Conservatory where Sora stood triumphantly among the plants.

"I say it was Professor Plum, in the Conservatory, with the rope." She said matter of factly.

"Damn it! I was under the influence of the Imperious Curse, I swear!" pleaded Sirius jokingly.

"You were under the influence of something." Muttered James.

They laughed and went to go get Remus and Martina.

"That was fun." Lily said to James. They were at the back of the group. "How do you come up with all these things?"

He shrugged, "Remus helped a lot and Sirius is more intelligent than he lets on."

"So, there's some hope for him." Lily giggled. "But really, I enjoyed this a lot."

"So, will you come again tomorrow?" he asked eagerly.

She pretended to think for a long moment, but her mind was already made up, "Sure, Potter."

He smiled happily as they entered the library.

"All done?" Remus asked looking up from his book.

"The question is, dear Remus, are_ you_ all done?" Sirius said suggestively while the others snickered.

Remus raised an eyebrow, "Sure, whatever you say, Sirius."

They stood up and joined their friends and left the mansion.

"That was fun, Lily." Dez said thoughtfully after they left the boys.

"Yeah, are we going back tomorrow?" Martina asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I agreed to come back." Lily said.

Sora giggled, "I bet you had a great time, Martina."

The others laughed while Martina looked around in confusion, "Um, yeah, I had fun. I found a good book…Why are you laughing?" Then she realized, "Oh, no! Nothing like _that_ happened! God, I barely know him."

"You don't need to know him."

"You're disgusting Dez."

"Hmmm but you love me anyway."

"What ever." Martina rolled her eyes.

Sora turned to Lily, "So any more 'romantic connections'?"

"None that I'm aware of." Lily said slowly.

"Yeah, you need to work on that." Dez said authoritatively.

"Yep. Sure Dez."

They laughed and went up to their respective dormitories to contemplate tomorrow and the next game.

_A/N: Yeah, so this chappy is sort of flat in terms of Lily/James but I hope you like the Remus/Martina and Sirius' insanity. I'll try to have another update for this by the end of the week, but you need to REVIEW! I'll give you really yummy cookies and gummy worms. How can you refuse? You can't (evil laugh)!!_


	5. twister

_Well, I haven't posted anything in forever. This chapter has been bumming around my head for some time, but (believe me) it came out totally different from how I imagined. I like it though and I hope you all do too._

_Disclaimer: Once upon a time there was this guy who smoked a lot of opium and he had these strange dreams about a girl in a blue dress and a rabbit hole and talking cats and cards and another girl who owned Harry Potter. These images inspired him to write a few novels…except for the image of the girl who owned Harry Potter. That idea horrified him to the point where he almost considered giving up opium for good. Almost._

**Chapter Five: Twister**

Lily gazed out of the Common Room window at the gently falling snow. The Winter Holidays were fast approaching and everyone was eager to go home for Christmas. Lily and her friends had already decided to stay; it was their seventh year and they wanted to soak up every last moment at Hogwarts that they could.

Lily studied a stray snowflake that had latched itself to the windowpane. She stared at it until her breath fogged the glass and the snowflake was obscured from view. Her focus shifted and then she was gazing at the reflection of the Common Room behind her. It was empty for the most part, almost everyone was in class or the library. Lily preferred to spend her free period in the Common Room for this precise reason. It was so much more peaceful and she could get so much more work done—in the event that she had work to get done. Today she was uncharacteristically unoccupied.

She turned around and surveyed the Common Room for real. How could she enjoy a place that was so empty? Seized by the sudden desire to do something—anything—Lily got to her feet and went to hunt down, of all people, James Potter.

x o x o x

She found him in the Entrance Hall, shaking snow from his mop of dark hair and breathing hard.

"Hi, Lily," he said with a wide smile when he spotted her. His face was flushed and his lips were blue. He was absolutely soaking wet. He noticed her raised eyebrow at his appearance; "Did you know that it's too warm for ice skating?"

"Judging by the lack of ice on the lake, yes, I did know that." She replied, wondering if he really was that stupid.

"Ah, very astute of you Lily," he said, shedding his dripping coat, "Now, I think I'm going to mosey on up to the Common Room and thaw out my toes. The rest of my brethren should be in shortly. They're harassing some Slytherin scum at the moment."

Lily opened her mouth to demand the nature of said harassment but she was silenced by the incensed screeches of Argus Filch as he came barreling down the stairs. Apparently, he was sick of mopping the same blasted hallway every time a stupid brat came in from the snow.

"Ah, shit," James muttered, "Let's get out of here." He set off at a brisk jog.

"But I haven't done anything wrong!" Lily protested as she ran after him.

"Do you want to be there when Filch finds the mess I made?"

Lily admitted that she didn't. Looking over her shoulder she saw Filch discover the puddle that James had left and—holy crap—the wheezy arse was giving chase!

"Let's go!" she yelled, speeding past James as he slipped in his wet boots. In an effort to keep his balance, he grabbed Lily's arm. Somewhere in the confusion they ended up grasping each other's hands as Lily pulled him through corridor after corridor until they reached to safety of Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady swung shut behind them as they stood in the Common Room panting and laughing.

"That was close," Lily gasped, looking over at James whose hair was plastered to his forehead quite deliciously. Suddenly flustered, Lily shifted her gaze down, where it settled on their tightly clasped hands. Dropping his hand like it burnt her, she walked over to the couch and collapsed.

"I don't think I've ever run from an authority figure before," she said partially to herself.

"You've probably never had to," James said as he pulled off his wet boots and peeled off his soaked sweater, "Invigorating isn't it?"

His T-shirt stuck to his chest in a way that made Lily realize she had something very important to do somewhere far away from James.

"Yeah, I guess…Well, I'll just let you get cleaned up," she stammered as she got to her feet, "I'm gonna go, ah, find Martina and them…Ummm I was wondering if we could, maybe, uh, play a game later. You know… with all of us. It's been a while since Clue, so I thought—"

"Yeah sure," James said before Lily could make a complete ass-hat out of herself, "Sirius and I have something planned, so yeah. Bring Sora, Dez and Martina here after classes." He ran a hand through his soaking hair.

"Great. Right. Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna go now."

Lily bolted before he could do or say anything else. God, what was _wrong_ with her?

x o x o x

"Wait, are you telling me that you actually _asked_ to play a game?"

"Dez, you're missing the point—"

"No, I'm not, Martina. The point is that Lily is finally realizing the feelings that _we_ knew she felt but that she was steadfastly denying. However, instead of dwelling on that and saying 'I told you so'—which is what I want to say—I decided to delicately ignore the point and talk about something else, so that Lily doesn't feel awkward or embarrassed."

There was a long, awkward and embarrassing pause, before Sora rolled her eyes and said through clenched teeth, "You are so stupid, Dez."

"What?"

Lily quickly spoke up before things got ugly, "Yes, I asked him to play another game because, frankly, I enjoy them and so do you guys. And, as for the other thing," she stared pointedly at Dez, "I don't know. I'm still working it out with myself. I don't know what I feel."

Dez rolled her eyes, but Martina and Sora diligently kept their expressions attentive and supportive.

"So, when is this game happening?" Martina ventured.

"After classes, so…in ten minutes."

"Do you know what game?" Sora asked as she pretended to pay attention to Professor Binns who was looking their way as though a fly were buzzing above their heads.

"Nope. All I know is that Sirius had a hand in it."

"Good lord." Sora muttered.

"You sound so enthused," Dez commented.

"Well, I don't trust Sirius's judgement."

Martina laughed, "What does his judgement have to do with anything? Come on, Sora, you two grew up together. You should know that he's smarter than he acts."

Sora snorted, "I know him better than anyone except maybe James, which is why I don't trust him."

Lily raised an eyebrow, "You've been civil to him so far. Surely, you like him at least a little bit don't you?"

Sora gave her a piercing look, "No, I don't."

With that the conversation ended. The bell rang and the girls practically sprinted back to the Common Room.

x o x o x

They found James in the Common Room moving furniture away from the center of the room. Several on lookers watched with mild interest before going about their business.

"Hello, Ladies," he said, sizing up the amount of space he had.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked.

"I'm clearing a space for the game that you requested Lily dear."

Lily smirked, "And what game exactly are we playing James darling?"

He shot her an amused look before replying, "Remus will explain when HE GETS HIS ARSE DOWN HERE!" he shouted the last bit up the boys' staircase.

"We're coming! Hold your bloody hippogriffs," shouted Sirius, "It's a little hard to navigate the stairs like th—ah shit!"

Lily gazed balefully at James as several thumps, cries and curses wafted down the stairs, then Sirius and Peter tumbled down the stairs and landed in a tangled heap. Before anyone could make a move to help them, Sirius began writhing in a violent attempt to stand, but Peter appeared to be getting in his way. Everyone stared as the two boys flailed helplessly. Nobody noticed Remus come down the stairs behind them until he jumped over his prone friends and tossed a Twister box on the carpet.

"All right, James help me get these two up and I'll explain."

As soon as Sirius was on his feet, standing shoulder to shoulder with Peter, he exclaimed, "We're playing Siamese Twister!"

"Sirius, honestly!" Remus said, smacking Sirius upside his head, "Be politically correct for once in your life. It's Conjoined Twister."

Sirius responded by spinning around in a circle, but because he was attached to Peter's shoulder, he ended up falling over, bringing Peter down with him. Remus sighed as though his lungs were shriveling.

"Umm, what are we playing?" Sora asked warily.

"Conjoined Twister," Remus said, snapping out of his moment of melancholy, "It's just like normal Twister, except that we all chose a partner and attach ourselves to that person in some way."

Martina stared in obvious fear at Sirius thrashing on the ground, "Can it be an emotional attachment?"

"Of course not," Sirius growled from the floor, "We're teenagers, everything is physical!"

Remus cleared his throat and subtly kicked Sirius in the face, "I suggest that you girls pair up and we boys pair up. That way we can eliminate any chance of any shenanigans occurring." He glowered at Sirius who didn't notice.

Martina grabbed Lily's hand as though she were afraid that the redhead would vanish.

Lily caught James' eye.

"Let's play."

x o x o x

Conjoined Twister was the most awkward and embarrassing game Lily had every played. It was also incredibly fun. Within five minutes the eight friends were hopelessly entangled in each other and a large crowd had gathered to watch. Frank Longbottom operated the spinner and his girlfriend, Alice, began conjuring up more boards so other people could play.

"You've started a movement, James," Lily said as she craned her neck back to look at the mass of people playing Twister. He laughed, but was concentrating too hard on getting his left hand from a blue spot to a yellow spot to answer her.

Dez and Sora were having problems because of their drastically different heights. Sora was too short to reach some spots and being attached to Dez limited her flexibility. She stretched under Sirius, using Dez as an anchor and placed a hand triumphantly on a yellow spot. Sirius, being his devious self, decided it would be a good time to do push-ups.

"Sirius, what the hell are you doing?" Sora snapped as his chest pressed into her back. Her arms began shaking, but she supported her body despite his added weight.

"I'm exercising, Love. But you're _kind of_ in the way," he murmured in her ear as though he really didn't care that she was hindering his 'exercise'.

"Well, you're _kind of_ an annoying ass," she snarled. She was in no mood for this—for him.

"You like it."

Sora set her jaw as Sirius pushed his body up. Then, as he lowered it again, she threw her hear back and heard a satisfying smack as it connected with Sirius's mouth.

"AH FUCK!"

His arms gave way and his full weight fell on Sora causing her to collapse underneath him, dragging Dez and Peter down with them. As soon as they hit the mat, the spell that connected Sirius to Peter and Dez to Sora ended. Instantly the four of them pulled apart. Sora wriggled out from under Sirius, who had reeled back clutching his bleeding lip, while Peter and Dez tried to figure out what just happened.

"What the hell, Sora!" Sirius glared at her, wiping the blood that was dripping down his chin, "I was just joking around!"

The Common Room was dead silent as everyone stared from Sirius to Sora. Remus wordlessly removed the spell between him and James, and Lily and Martina. Sora was lying on her back, propped up on her elbows and she was starring at Sirius with a strange mixture of anger, fear and surprise.

She struggled to her feet, looked Sirius in the eye and said quietly, "Don't touch me."

Then she turned on her heel and stormed out of the Common Room. Dez followed with a disgusted sneer directed at Sirius. Their exit seemed to bring everyone back to life and soon the room was filled with excited, curious voices.

Martina glared at Sirius who was using his shirt to stop the blood dripping down his face. No one seemed compelled to help him. She turned her gaze to Remus.

"I thought you said no shenanigans, Remus?"

He looked like she'd slapped him. Before he could respond, she too disappeared through the portrait hole.

Lily gaped at the Marauders. Peter was attempting to heal Sirius's lip, but Sirius was having none of it. Remus continued to stare wide-eyed at the portrait hole, and James was attempting to figure out what Sirius had done. Feeling very out of place, Lily left the Common Room to find her friends. What just happened? What went wrong?

_Muuuaahahaha! This chappy is not as sparkly as previous ones, for which I insincerely apologize. I like this chapter, especially since I haven't written anything in forever. I know it seems like Sora over reacted and that she has an enormous stick up her ass (it's name is Sirius haha), but I do plan on providing an explanation next chapter. I just love how I had no idea that all this was going to happen until after I wrote it. I guess that just shows how little control I have over my characters. Anyway, if you have any feedback (negative, positive, constructive, other?) I would love to hear it! I need to get back in the loop. Ciao lovies! _


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